Congratulations are in order for the men and women who make up the Levy County Sheriff's Office Drug Task Force.

In the past month the task force has been able to bring about the arrests of dozens of alleged drug dealers. Many of those arrests came on the heels of investigations that lasted months and required countless man hours and dedication.

We also tip our hats to the Chiefland City Commission for having the foresight to set aside money in its budget that allows the city to be a member of the task force.

I'd like to first say "Thank you Chiefland" for your beautiful support shown before, during and after the death of Mrs. Julia Haile. I'd like to give a very special thanks to the Greater Chiefland Area Chamber of Commerce for giving her and Papi (Mr. Haile) their flowers while they were able to see them by honoring them as Chiefland's Citizen of the year 2007. We don't know what the future holds for any of us, but we do know Who holds the future of all of us and I thank God for sending me here 13 years ago and placing Mr. and Mrs. Haile into my life.

One of my favorite photographs of my parents was snapped on an early summer afternoon. They had no idea that I had come out of my room only to return for my camera and capture them for all eternity in a rather endearing picture.

Will he or won't he? That's the buzz around Chiefland, as Eighth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bill Cervone continues weighing evidence of alleged voter fraud cases brought to light in August after the city election.

On Sept. 27, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement handed Cervone the evidence it collected after a five-week investigation.

Two months later, the attorney is still sitting on his hands. He is drawing out a process that has left lives in chaos and seems in no hurry to bring the issue to a conclusion once and for all.

On Nov. 11, America will celebrate the greatest heroes of our time-this nation's veterans. These men and women sacrificed of themselves, dedicating their efforts to the cause we call Freedom.

Freedom always comes with a price and for many of these servicemen and women, the price was often supreme.

From the Argonne Forest to the sands of Iwo Jima; from Pork Chop Hill in Korea to Hamburger Hill in Vietnam; and back across the waters to the Persian Gulf and now in Iraq, lives were lost, dreams were shattered and still they willingly gave.